Table 1 Credential Awarded. Degree/ Year

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1 Central Community College Program Review Academic Year: Program: Health Information Management Services Site: Hastings I. Describe the Program Review Process The Central Community College Health Information Management Services (HIMS) program represents a continuum of practice concerned with health related information and the management of systems to collect, store, process, retrieve, analyze, disseminate, and communicate information related to research, planning, provision, and evaluation of health care services. Patient records in hospitals, clinics, and nursing facilities are the most common sources of health information; however, insurance companies and government agencies also maintain health information systems. The curriculum of the HIMS program incorporates the disciplines of medicine, management, finance, information technology, and law into the program. The HIMS program utilizes a variety of processes to review and revise the program: every semester individual courses are evaluated through student surveys, during the semesters the students are on professional practice experiences in healthcare settings and are evaluated on their skills and professional characteristics by the site director. The CCC Career and Employment Services Office provides graduate and annual graduate placement reports. The HIMS program also provides a program specific survey of graduates and employers on an annual basis. Students in Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM) accredited programs can sit for the national certification to become a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT). This data is sent to the accredited school yearly in October and included in the Assessment of Student Learning document for program evaluation. The HIMS program at Central Community College (CCC) was initially accredited through the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) on January 29, The accrediting agency for the program is currently the CAHIIM which was effective March 1, The program has been continually accredited since The Annual Program Assessment Report is sent to CAHIIM annually to maintain accreditation. This document was produced through the efforts of the HIMS Program Director, HIMS instructors, advisory board and the Dean of Health Services with input from administration that includes the Vice President for Health Sciences, Executive Vice President, Educational Services Committee, College Cabinet and approval from the CCC Board of Governors. II. Provide Evidence of Need, Demand, and Efficiency for the Program in Nebraska and at CCC A. Graduates, Graduate Employment and Student Credit Hour Production Table 1 Credential Awarded Degree/ Year Credential Awarded Average AAS Diploma Certificate Total Awards # of Graduates

2 Table 2 Graduate Outcomes Report 5-Year Average # of Graduates # Continuing Education # Employed Full-Time NA NA NA NA 32 NA % Employed &/or Continuing Education 96% 96% 97% 89% 88% NA *NA = Not Available due to change in data collection methodology. For more information please refer to Graduate Outcomes Report. Table 3 Student Credit Hours/FTE Faculty Full-Year 5-Year Average Student Credit Hours Faculty FTE Student Credit Hours Produced per Faculty FTE B. Thresholds for Graduates and Student Credit Hour Production The HIMS program has averaged 55 awards over the past 5 years which exceeds the threshold. The average student credit hours, produced per full-time faculty, of 689 is also above the threshold. With the addition of a third full-time faculty member in 2013 and the use of adjuncts the credit hour production still remains high. C. Additional Requirements for Programs Under the Thresholds NA D. Employer Needs Constantly evolving regulations and technologies allow for lifelong learning and continued professional development. As health care advances, health information provides the patient data needed to successfully navigate the changes. As a result, health information professionals can expect to be in high demand as the health sector continues to expand. Demand is on the rise at all levels of education and credentialing. There are approximately 12,000 to 50,000 new jobs anticipated by 2017, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics cites medical records and health information technicians as one of the 20 fastest growing occupations in the U.S. Health information graduates can choose from a variety of job functions across an array of health care environments. Among these are medical records management, privacy officer, risk management, medical coding, corporate compliance, and data analysis and reporting. See ( 2

3 E. Other Evidence Placement reports for showed 88% of the HIMS graduates surveyed were employed or continuing their education. The following is a list of employers where HIMS graduates are employed: Alegent Creighton Health, BryanLGH Medical Center East, Bryan Health, Callaway District Hospital, Capital Foot Center, Correct Care Solutions, Faith Regional Health Services, Franklin County Memorial Hospital, Gynecology and Fertility PC, Hastings Convenient Care, Kearney Eye Institute, Lexington Regional Health Center, Lincoln Family Medical Center, Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital, National Research Corporation, NE Heart Institute, Saint Elizabeth Medical Center, Saint Francis Medical Center, Saint Elizabeth Home Health, Surgical Associates PC, Tabitha, the Physician Network, Tri Valley Health Systems, Veterinary Hospital, and Wagoner Medical Group. Positions Medical Records Clerk, Patient Billing Associate, Electronic Medical Record Specialist, Transcriptionist, Billing/Receptionist, Remote Coder, Coder/Data Entry, Office Manager, Medical Secretary/Accounts, Director of Strategy & Business Intel, Patient Representative, Medical Coder, Coder I, HIM Operations Coordinator, Administrative Assistant, Certified Nursing Assistant, Coder, Receptionist, Health Information Coder, Patient Accounts, In-Patient Medical Coder, Coder/Biller/Transcriptionist, and HIM Clerk. *Source: Based on employed student responses from Graduate Survey. In September 2013, Dr. Deb Brennan, Executive Vice President of Central Community College, gave a report to the Board of Governors on President Obama s Completion Agenda goals and the unduplicated Graduates for the past three years. The HIMS program was recognized as having had a growth over 50% for awarding certificates, diplomas and degrees. III. Assessment of Student Learning A. Brief Statement of Assessment of Student Learning Processes The Assessment of Student Learning document was designed to fulfill the requirements of the college and accreditation by using the standards that are required for accreditation as the measureable program outcomes. Assessment of student learning is an ongoing process through course examination, standardized testing and practicum evaluation tools. Health Information Management Services graduates are prepared to: Validate healthcare data and data sources for accuracy, timeliness, and completeness. Analyze health information for quality, utilization, and risk management, and other patient care related studies. Interpret and apply laws and accreditation, licensure, and certification standards. Analyze the operation, application, and function of computers and related technology in the healthcare environment. Apply administrative principles, skills, and techniques in a healthcare environment. The outcomes are measured through both direct and indirect measures utilizing student success, graduate and employer feedback surveys, and national certification testing. The results of these measurements are used to evaluate program curriculum and if graduates are prepared to be entry-level technicians. 3

4 B. Critical Findings of Assessment of Student Learning Processes The National Certification Exam for the RHIT was taken by seven graduates (the National certification is not required tube employed). For each of the outcomes above, the CCC mean score was equal to one and above the remaining seven measures. The program has received acceptable responses from students, graduates, professional practice site directors and employers. The input from these groups continues to be a valuable resource for revisions to courses, curriculum and instructional methods. In the fall of 2010 the HIMS program ran a pilot project to access the Virtual Lab. The Virtual Lab was the program s first attempt to expose students to the Electronic Health Record and encoder. The Virtual Lab lacked the external support from its vendor and encountered multiple problems and dissatisfaction on student surveys. During the school year, the program discontinued this product and explored ways to incorporate the use of the EHR into the curriculum. C. Actions Taken to Modify Learning Processes and Environment as a Result of Findings The HIMS program selected the Networked Educational Electronic Health Record (NEEHR) Perfect Education Electronic Health Record (EHR) system for the fall 2013 semester. The pilot of the EHR software began in one course in November The HIMS faculty has incorporated the NEEHR Perfect system into three classes for the spring 2014 semester. Introductory assignments as well as auditing for the more advanced classes have been integrated into the existing courses. IV. Summary of Key Findings A. Needs and Demand According to the Department of Labor statistics, the AHIMA, employer and consumer input, the demand for HIM graduates will continue to be strong. Earnings of Central Community College ggraduates in are: certificate ($21,275), diploma ($27,337) and degree ($35,905)*. Industries with an increased demand for health information professionals include academic institutions, consulting agencies, government agencies, and healthcare software companies. As health information technology becomes more prevalent, health information practitioners will continue to be critical components of the electronic health record (EHR) workforce. According to the US Department of Labor, HIMS will grow to encompass new support positions, including mobile support adoption positions, public health informatics, implementation support specialists, and information management redesign specialists. * 2013 Graduate Outcomes Report. B. Assurance of Efficiency The number of graduates has grown especially for certificates and diploma students seeking credentials in medical coding. The FTE production is above the threshold. Several of the courses (Medical Terminology, Applications for the Health Professional, HIPAA, Beginning Medical Coding, Intermediate Medical Coding and Healthcare Reimbursement) are used by Business Technology, Medical Assisting and Nursing students. In addition, HIMS students take Disease Conditions and Pharmacology from the Medical Assisting program. C. Avoidance of Unnecessary Duplication CCC is the only public institution in central and eastern Nebraska offering the Health Information Management Services degree/diploma/certificate. To accommodate other Nebraska student s, partnerships have been formed with Southeast Community College and Northeast Community College. These partnership agreements allow students to take courses at their home community college and HIMS courses 4

5 online from CCC resulting in graduation from CCC with a HIMS degree or diploma. These agreements are updated biannually. D. Centrality to the Role and Mission of the Public Institution The mission of Central Community College is To provide access to quality student-centered instruction in learning support systems for individuals desiring higher learning. The Health Information Management Services Program provides instruction in a student-centered environment. Students who graduate from the HIMS Program go on to work in various health care settings throughout Nebraska. E. Assessment of Student Learning The various assessment instruments used by the program ensure that all aspects of student learning are reviewed by the various stakeholders of the program and of the college. Feedback from students, graduates, clinical sites, and employers have indicated the program is meeting the needs of the students and the health information community. F. Provide a brief narrative analysis with rationale as to what should be done: (1) discontinue the program, (2) recommend that the Commission authorize continuation of the program, (3) direct the institution to initiate an in-depth review of the program, and/or (4) offer an alternative option. The Health Information Management Services program exceeds the CCPE threshold for awards and student credit hours/faculty FTE calculated by the 5-year average. The continued demand from health care organizations throughout central Nebraska has helped increase this number since more students are coming to CCC to start this program. In Nebraska, there continues to be a large demand for Health Information Management professionals. The Educational Services Committee recommends to the College Cabinet that the Commission authorize continuation of the Health Information Management Services program. The College Cabinet recommends to the CCC Board of Governors that the Commission authorize continuation of the Health Information Management Services program. The CCC Board of Governors recommends that the Commission authorize continuation of the Health Information Management program. G. Rationale for Continuation if the Program is Below CCPE Thresholds (10 degrees/awards and 275 credits for vocational/technical programs) NA 5